Awards and Achievments

We nominate Danny Gunn Sr. for 2017 Jefferson Award

Danny Gunn Sr., an active member and volunteer here at the Río Grande International Study Center, and is our nominee for the 2017 Jefferson Award for Public Service.He and other nominees will be honored at a Laredo Area Community Foundation dinner on Thursday, March 23 at 6 p.m. at the IBC-Jacaman Annex.This year, he completes 21 years in service to RGISC and 18 years on its board. He is the one board member who shows up to, well, everything!

Congratulations, Dr. Vaughan!!

﻿On March 30, 2016, RGISC Co-Founder, Dr. Tom Vaughan, was named the recipient of the Jefferson Acorn Award for Public Service bestowed by the Laredo Area Community Foundation. A huge congratulations to Dr. Vaughan, whose tireless, selfless work and dedication to the Rio Grande these past 30 years have finally been recognized!

Take a minute to watch this segment on Dr. Tom Vaughan, a Laredo environmental hero!

Making a Difference:​ Honoring a Laredo Environmental Hero

Please enjoy the following slideshow of last Wednesday's (March 30) award ceremony at the IBC Annex!

Galardon Prize – Mexico City

In October 2013, RGISC was awarded the prestigious Galardón Prize a la Innovación y Cooperación Transfronteriza México-Estados Unidos 2013 at the Mexican Senate in Mexico City. RGISC was one of the top 5 finalists chosen from among nearly 70 nonprofit organizations working along the U.S.-Mexico border. This U.S.-Mexico Cross-Border Innovation and Cooperation Award was presented by President of the Mexican Senate, Sen. Ernesto Ruffo Appel, on behalf of the Wilson Center in Washington DC, El Colegio de la Frontera Norte and Arizona State University RGISC was recognized for its work in organizing Dia del Rio, and a binational student water testing program along the entire river basin known as the Rio Research Roundup.

“By highlighting the creativity and collaborative spirit of organizations working along the border, these awards help provide a counter narrative to the stories of drugs and unauthorized migration that tend to dominate media coverage of the region,” noted Christopher Wilson, associate at the Mexico Institute of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Environmental Heritage Award - Laredo

In May 2013, RGISC received the Environmental Heritage Award from the Webb County Heritage Foundation for its work in carrying out the annual Laredo Birding Festival.

Community Green Award - Laredo

In May 2012, RGISC was selected for the Communuity Green Award by Keep Laredo Beautiful and KGNS for its ongoing work to promote and protect the environment throughout Laredo.

Texas Environmental Excellence Award - Austin

In 1995, RGISC was the recipient of the prestigious Texas Environmental Excellence Award presented in Austin, TX.